Loic Bruni & Tahnée Seagrave Win at Maribor

Loic Bruni & Tahnée Seagrave Win at Maribor

The Fox MTB team got off to a great start in the UCI Downhill World Cup Season Opener in Maribor, Slovenia. The sun broke out Sunday Morning and started to dry the track after Saturday’s downpour during quail’s. The track suffered from mixed conditions which caught out more than a few elite riders during the race. Runs during the morning practice session were crucial to make final tire choice and other preparations. While the day resulted in ups and downs for the Fox DH team, the overall result was a great start to the season with victories for both Loic and Tahnée in their first time riding Maribor!

Loic Bruni - First place Mens Elite DH:

Loic started his 2019 the same way he ended 2018 - on the top step of the podium. Winning back to back races for the first time in his career was a much better start to the season than last year when he crashed in Losinj: “Compared to last year it’s a big improvement. I was a little bit looking for redemption.. I was not so confident and I didn’t know if it would be enough for winning. I did my best and attacked a lot. I did not look so loose but in my head I was super loose and I was on the limit and I’m happy I rode like that because I think that was the only way to do it and the times were so close and you had to push… coming into the bottom I was aware that my run was pretty solid and I thought ‘OK now it’s time to keep it steady and not crash' and I didn’t and I’m happy no one was close enough to win at the bottom. Solid first race with the new bike, let’s hope it’s the start of a good year!” The defending World Champ heads to next month’s race in Fort William with both the Rainbow Stripes and the WC leaders vest for the first time in his career!

Tahnée Seagrave - First place Womens Elite DH:

Tahnée spent nearly two weeks in Maribor in preparations for the World Cup opener and though things were up and down during that time, the practice paid off on race day as she blitzed the course and ended up with the victory: “I felt like I was behind, I’m not gonna lie so I had some work to do but I love the chase and I pulled it out on top at the end which I’m really happy with. It took a lot of hard work so I’m pretty stoked to start the season off with a win!” A training injury in December curtailed her early season training but she worked hard in the months and weeks leading up to the race and it showed in her confidence during her run: “I knew it was a good run, I knew where I needed to get the work done so when I came in and I did it how I want to I kinda knew it was a good run.” Tahnée also heads to her home race in June with the World Cup leaders' vest for the first time. No doubt her home fans will be going crazy in Ft. Bill!

Laurie Greenland – Ninth place Men’s Elite DH

Laurie G rode a fast and calculated race to gather ninth place at the finish. Laurie has been steadily progressing the last two season and staring the season with a top ten finish is another great step in his progression as and Elite rider. He was obviously happy with such a great performance to start the season: “I’m stoked because I gave it my all today! Good tight Racing! P9 to round up the weekend and 8th in points!" Laurie heads to his home race in the UK next month with confidence and momentum from his great run in Maribor!

Finn Iles – 52nd place Men’s Elite DH

Finn had a great weekend going in Maribor and was pushing massive speed in the first segment of the race. He was in the lead by a fraction of a second but a tiny mistake on an off camber root section proved disastrous as his front wheel washed out, effectively ending his shot at the podium. He rebounded quickly and finished the race with blistering times on the lower segments. His crash meant a 52nd place was disappointment but his comments post race show he is in the right place in his head to overcome this challenge: “This weekend we had a really good process, the race run didn’t go how we wanted it to but I think the process just needs to stay the same and I just need to stay a little bit more focused on what I’m doing when I’m racing and just tone it down a little bit. The speed is there and the focus is there, I think I need to go slow to go fast. It’s all a learning process because I’m still nineteen. I just need to be a bit slower and have a few good results and get my confidence and be good in the overall, then I can really push it because as much as I want to win, I need to have good results to back it up. I just need to continue on and it will work out, seven more chances.” Finn and the Specialized Gravity team head to chance number two in Fort William next month.

Loris Vergier – 58th place Men’s Elite DH

Much like Finn, a great start to the weekend took a tough turn for the worse for Fox and Santa Cruz Syndicate rider Loris on Sunday. A solid fifth position in qualifying had him confident for race day and his run started well as he was only six tenths of a second of the lead heading into the third timed segment. Things went sideways quickly both literally and figuratively as he washed his back tire and clipped a tree. The spectacular crash was scary to watch but thanks in part to his new RPC helmet he popped up quickly and finished the course, even setting some of the fastest times on the lower segments: “It was the first race of the season so it’s always a tricky one. I felt good, no pressure on, I was just trying to ride well and I ended up doing a mistake on the corner that I should have not approached as fast, it’s my mistake but it happens. The new helmet works good, I crashed hard and I feel like I have nothing wrong pretty much and the MVRS (Magnetic Visor Release System) is good. Let’s focus on the rest of the season!” His 58th place finish means he’ll need to do some work over the next couple of races to get back into contention for the overall title, but with his speed and confidence he’ll be back competing for a podium quickly.

After a fantastic start to the season in Maribor, the Fox MTB DH team has a some time to rest and recover before training starts again for UCI Downhill World Cup race number two in legendary Fort William, UK. One of the most iconic races in the history of Downhill, Fort Bill is a coveted race, a win there can make a riders year or even their career. Watch as these athletes compete during the rest of the season in the all new Rampage Pro Carbon and Defend and Flexair gear which was made for their ride! Check the full Fox MTB one at www.foxracingcom/mtb.

IN VERBINDUNG STEHENDE ARTIKEL

21.05.19

MADE FOR YOUR RIDE | KAOS SEAGRAVE

Durability, versatility or mobility? Kaos Seagrave spends as much time building trails in the Welsh countryside as he does shredding them. For digging and riding, he mixed the Ranger and Defend gear to give him the protection and style he needs. Add in the versatility of the all-new Dropframe Helmet, and you have a kit made for his ride. Like Kaos, you can use our kit builder to create your own custom look.

“Looking good is always a big part of my riding, and this kit gives me the chance to look good and feel comfortable when I’m out shredding"

-Kaos Seagrave – Pro Downhill Athlete

To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.

Sunny with a chance of rowdy. The perfect conditions to put our new Spring MTB Collection to the test. In our Made for Your Ride video series, we ask our pros two simple questions: where do you want to ride? And, what do you want to wear? For our second episode, Loic Bruni matched the fast and technical terrain of La Garriga, Spain with a tough-as-nails Defend kit. The result, as you just witnessed, was pretty fun and very fast.

“Riding in a kit this comfortable will make your day. I love the blend of durability, stretch and ventilation. Plus, red sure makes you look fast."

- Loic Bruni – UCI DH World Champion

LOIC BRUNI’S GEAR

Well said, Loic. We couldn’t agree more. Red can make you look fast standing still. And, in our totally-nonscientific opinion, will cut at least a few hundredths off your time.

It may have been hard to see, but that red blur in the video was the all-new Defend jersey and pants. Defend, as in defending you and the garment from abrasion and trail-related wear and tear. In our arsenal of mountain bike apparel, it’s the go-to for the perfect balance of durability and comfort. All thanks to the abrasion-resistant fabric, strategic stretch zones, and smart venting.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT RIDE?

Mirroring the Made of Your Ride video series, we now pose you a similar set of questions: where do you ride? And, which features would make it the best ride ever? The choice is yours:

Flexair – super breathable and wonderfully forgettable; it’s the next best thing to bringing an AC along for the ride. Ranger – a discrete lunch-ride kit with a casual aesthetic which conceals exceptional moisture-wicking properties. It’s a kit that says “yeah I ride” but will blend in with the crowd when you're enjoying a couple of cold ones at the local brewery. Defend – an mtb kit that would make Tony Stark jealous. Not only is it armored with durable fabrics like Kevlar®, but it also has intelligent features like targeted venting and strategic stretch.

To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.

The off-season training put in by the Fox MTB team paid off big at the kickoff to the 2019 season - Crankworx Rotorua. Threatening skies held off most of the week and the dirt was prime for racing and ripping all week long. With 2 wins and 10 podiums across the 7 different disciplines the Fox athletes made Rotorua feel like a second home for Fox fans in attendance!

For the second year in a row, Brett Rheeder started his season off with a bang. Adding multiple new tricks to his program, he rode a nearly flawless run to capture the top step of the podium in the annual Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza.

Anthony Messere was riding on the limit all week and put together a great run to place 6th in the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza. His top six finish means he's punched his ticket into the next round at Crankworx Innsbruck!

Finn Iles put in a blistering run in the warmest conditions of the week in the men’s Crankworx Rotorua Downhill. He rode clean and in control and his performance left him just 0.09 seconds off the top step of the podium. It was a great performance, but being so close left him a little frustrated - something he will use as motivation for next month's Maribor!

It was a disappointing start to the year for current UCI DH World Champ Loic Bruni as a flat in the top section of the course derailed his chances in Friday's Crankworx DH race. He looked good in training and was ready to compete in his first test of the 2019 season. Always a fan favorite, Loic lightened a bad moment as he asked a spectator for his pump and tried to bring the tire back to life. "I just wanted to finish," said Loic moments after the race. This has motivated him even more for the first UCI DH race in Maribor.

Tahnée Seagrave battled through multiple injuries throughout the week to put together a great set of results. She rode multiple disciplines and ended up with three third-place finishes - Dual Slalom, Downhill, and Pump Track. Truly an all-around talent, Tahnée is also a crowd favorite who made the Rotorua fans feel special all week long!

Speaking of fan favorites, local boy Keegan Wright was the hardest working athlete in Rotorua. Competing in nearly every pro men’s division race, he finished the event with a silver medal in both Pump Track and EWS as well as taking the top step in the Crankworx Dual Slalom. His amazing overall performance finds him in second place overall for the King of Crankworx points!

Bas van Steenbergen was another all-around performer in Rotorua. He finished second behind teammate Keegan Wright in the Dual Slalom and was the only Fox athlete to podium in the Rotorua Air DH. These points have him in the running for the overall King of Crankworx title.

Look for Fox MTB athletes at the start of the UCI DH World Cup season in the historic Maribor, Slovenia and then at the second stop of the Crankworx series in Innsbruck, Austria.

Durability, Versatility or Mobility? For Kirt, riding in the high desert of California, with varying temps, sharp rocks, cacti, and the occasional zombie apocalypse, led him to select this kit. Like Kirt, you can mix and match our purpose-built collections to form a kit perfectly suited for your ride.

Every rider is different, and no two rides are the same. So, to meet your individual needs, we created three purpose-built lines of gear – each providing you with a unique set of benefits. Whether you need gear with a focus on durability, versatility or mobility, we’ve got you covered. Use our all-new kit builder tool to create a kit tailor-made for your next ride. Use our all-new kit builder tool to create a kit tailor-made for your next ride.

TOUGHER THAN DIRT

Rugged conditions, abrasive trail overgrowth, the occasional fall: These are certainties on the mountain. The Defend Mountain Bike Collection stands up to this trail-related wear and tear – ride after ride. Using super tough Kevlar fabric and reinforced taped seams, this range of MTB jerseys, shorts, and gloves will be the most durable in your arsenal.

PERFORMS EVERYWHERE

The look and feel of your favorite t-shirt packed with technical features and cut for comfort in a mountain bike riding position. Introducing the all-new Ranger Mountain Bike Collection. With natural-feeling fabrics concealing technical features, this range of jerseys and shorts allows you to hit the trails on your lunch break and get away with it.

MADE FOR REVOLUTION

The introduction of the Proframe helmet was a radical new direction for the mountain bike helmet industry. Taking everything we learned from that endeavor, the Spring 2019 MTB Helmet Collection builds on the rebellion with a new version of game-changing innovation for riders in every discipline.

WELCOME TO THE ARMORY

Aiming for endless improvement, our design team gave our collection of mountain bike guards a serious update. Our best-sellers have been modernized with CE certifications, we've launched our revolutionary Fox F3 Armor, and a host of brand-new styles are here to fill any gaps. This collection of guards is our most comprehensive ever, featuring everything from hard-plated guards and pedal-friendly slip-on styles to armored shorts and base layers.

GET A GRIP

As the most important connection between rider and bike, gloves have been a focus for us since day one. For 2019, we’ve raised the performance level yet again with all-new gloves and completely re-engineered versions of some of our best-performing styles. Partnerships with iconic manufacturers Kevlar®, D3O™, and Clarino®, combined with a forward-looking design philosophy have resulted in an MTB glove collection which is truly made for your ride.

MADE FOR WOMEN

For women, by women. At Fox, we're lucky enough to work with some of the most talented athletes in the world. Our all-new Women’s Collection is here thanks to intensive research and development in partnership with our women’s racing team. This range features women’s Defend, Ranger and Flexair Collections with a female-first design and specific fit.

ALL-NEW HYDRATION PACKS

Fox hydration bags are designed to take you from your house to the top of the trail and back again. Every ride is different, so we offer packs in three key sizes - equipping you for everything from all-day epics to quick local loops. Select your perfect pack based on your individual hydration and storage needs.

When we set out to develop class defining products, our intention is not awards, metals or other accolades. However, it still feels good to be recognized for our efforts. We are honored that our Flux MIPS received a 2019 Design & Innovation Award for offroad equipment – an achievement reserved for the bike industry’s highest-performing products. Not only does this award validate our efforts but it motivates us to continue to provide you with the best gear possible. That's our promise to you.

“With the adjustable visor and the easy Fidlock magnetic buckle, the Flux [MIPS] is extremely convenient in everyday use. The intuitive adjustment system also ensures an optimal fit for almost all head shapes. Fox Racing has given its previous bestseller a fundamental update. With success: the new Flux is a stylish and modern helmet with all-round convenience.”

ABOUT THE AWARD

The Design & Innovation Award is both a seal of approval and the benchmark achievement for the bike industry’s highest-performing products. The Design & Innovation Award is more than just a title-giver or a round of applause for brands. It’s the definitive award that decisively tests products in the real world, assessing them in their entirety and reaching considered verdicts. This year once again saw select international journalists, professional test riders, and industry experts invest more than 6,000 hours of their time to partake in the DI.A process.

BRETT RHEEDER - 1ST PLACE

In his sixth trip to Red Bull Rampage, Brett Rheeder showed the perfect combination of speed, amplitude, and his patented style to take the top step of the podium and his first Rampage win. His huge styled out flat 360 was done on a line only he attempted and helped to separate him from the competition with a final score of 89.66. He only needed that first run score and his second became a victory lap after waiting out the runs of his competitors. Brett adds this victory to a stunning list of achievements in the sport of Freestyle Mountain Biking. Congrats Brett!

Watch Brett Rheeder Winning Run

ANDREU LACONDEGUY - 2ND PLACE

Always a fan favorite, 2014 Redbull Rampage winner and Mountain Bike legend Andreu Lacondeguy showed passion and precision as he pulled out all the stops and pushed his Fox teammate Brett Rheeder to the limits with his final run. Adding his iconic style to giant airs during his second run he was on a burner until a late crash cemented his second place position with his incredible first run score of 87.33 - only 2 points behind Rheeder. Another Rampage podium adds to his already astonishing competition history, and you can bet he'll be back with his eyes on the top step for 2019!

Watch Andreu Lacondeguy Second Place Run

ETHAN NELL - 3RD PLACE

At only 21 years of age, Ethan Nell has already positioned himself as one of the most exciting new stars in the world of Freestyle Mountain Biking with his second podium at Rampage. Only 2 years ago, Ethan was digging for competitors like Andreu Lacondeguy. He got his first shot at the event in 2017 and made the most of it with a 3rd place finish. He had to up his game dramatically this year to maintain that podium position. His aggressive riding style and in-depth knowledge of the terrain in Virgin, Utah set his first run apart and came in at 86.33 - good enough to best everyone except his two Fox teammates. Big things are on the horizon for Ethan, and we expect him to keep climbing that podium in 2019 and beyond!

Watch Ethan Nell's Third Place Run

Brett, Andreu, and Ethan are part of the Fox MTB Global Freestyle team and compete in our podium proven products including the Rampage Pro Carbon helmet and Flexair jersey's, pants and gloves.

Defending UCI World Champion, Loic Bruni, put on a magnificent performance to claim his 3rd UCI MTB DH World Champs title in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. In the closest of contests, Bruni edged out his nearest competitor by 0.2 seconds to take his 2nd consecutive World Champs title.

The fourth and final stop of the Crankworx World Tour made its return to the epicenter of mountain bike culture, Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Being the largest lift-accessed mountain bike park in the world boasting over 1,500 meters of lift-serviced terrain, the two-wheel culture and lifestyle is like no other.

This year, the Crankworx festival celebrated its 15th year of two-wheel epicness, and the stage was set to draw in the world’s best mountain riders competing for the top honors in their respected disciplines. Throughout the week, riders competed in a variety of events such as Downhill, Enduro, Slalom, Pump Track, Whip-off, and Slopestyle.

The Fox MTB global team was in action all week delivering outstanding performances with multiple podium finishers earning medals. Among the solid results, the notable highlights of the week were the all Canadian podium sweep during the Fox Air DH race and Brett Rheeder's Crankworx FMB World Slopestyle Championship title win.

The Fox MTB global team was in action all week delivering outstanding performances with multiple podium finishers earning medals. Among the solid results, the notable highlights of the week were the all Canadian podium sweep during the Fox Air DH race and Brett Rheeder's Crankworx FMB World Slopestyle Championship title win.

Fox Air DH

Gold – Finn Iles (CAN)

Silver – Magnus Manson (CAN)

Bronze – Bas Van Steenbergen (CAN)

Garbonzo Downhill

Claire Buchar (CAN)

Slopestyle World Championship

1st Place – Brett Rheeder (CAN)

Canadian Open Downhill

Silver – Connor Fearon (AUS)

Bronze – Magnus Manson (CAN)

Throughout the week of Crankworx, the Fox brand was also activating on site and engaging with consumers, fans and fellow bike bros to create and share the memorable ride. Events included Custom hat pressing to raise funds for the Stevie Smith legacy foundation, an Ultimate MTB Prize pack that included head-to-toe gear and a GT bicycle, athlete autograph sessions allowing fans to meet & greet with their favorite Fox rider and of course, the infamous Chill N’ Grill hosted for our bike bros.

Ride Mountain Bike Day is coming! On July 20th, we will join mountain bikers around the world by blowing off all other obligations and simply riding our mountain bikes. We encourage riders everywhere - in all regions and skill levels - to join in on the fun.

The first annual International Ride Mountain Bike Day will take place July 20th and continue annually thereafter. Otherwise known as Ride MTB Day, this yearly movement is composed of community-based events that will take place around the globe with mountain bike brands, media, professionals, retailers, parks and local riders everywhere - each showing their love and support for the sport of mountain biking by holding group rides, fundraisers, races and demos.

“The sport of Mountain Biking has an incredible culture and Ride MTB Day is a great way to celebrate it. Ride MTB Day is not a Fox-owned event, but our goal is to have the concept adopted by the entire industry and raise mountain bike awareness and participation. We look forward to more and more brands and retailers supporting Ride MTB Day year after year.” - Dave Ahumada, Global Marketing Manager, Fox MTB.

On this day, each year, mountain bikers will gather together at local trails, bike parks, and bike shops and even enjoy solitary rides, helping to bring riders all over the world together.

World Cup DH#4, Val di Sole: This is a beast of the track. It's among the hardest and most technical courses on the DH MTB World Cup. Add heavy rainfall in the into the mix and then you have a course that's even more unpredictable than usual.

Tahnee Seagrave took the win in the women's downhill World Cup! She won by a hair at a tenth of a second to claim her second win of the year and re-ignite her title challenge. She had this to say following her win, “It’s been the best win so far because it was so tight and you have to work really hard for it, and that’s exactly what I had to do.”

Laurie Greenland is on fire! Back to back podiums for the Brit. He put in a fast and direct run where he took all the risks, nearly going over the bars at the start. He finished second.

You don’t have to wait long for the next DH World Cup Race. We’re back racing this weekend, July 14-15 in Vallnord, Andorra.

World Cup DH#2, Fort William: This race never disappoints! Fort William - Round two of the UCI Downhill World Cup series. This place always delivers an amazing show and we had plenty of great action for this edition! Our riders absolutely killed it, Tahnee Seagrave won, Loris Vergier and Loïc Bruni finished 2nd and 5th! Check out all the Fox Head riders' reactions here:

Tahnee, 1st Women

This is her first victory of the year and the first time she has won at Fort William! She has been dreaming of it for ages and has proved she is fit and she'll fight for more wins this year. She is now 3rd in the overall: “This feels different to my other wins - it's at home, the crowd is gnarly, and it's a hard track to win on as well - I think I've ticked off the hardest one so I'm very happy with that! And now, on to Leogang. I think the girls are going to be pushing so hard this year so anyone could win it. It's faster and the times are always so tight so I'm excited! I've had a real bad week so for me to come out and that happen, I wasn't expecting it. It's amazing!”

Loris Vergier, 2nd Elite Men

He was so so close to 1st place, only 0.270 seconds back but still super happy! He is definitely one of the strongest riders this year and now stands 2nd place overall, only 4 points behind the leader: “I was a little bit disappointed and it really sucked what happened to Luca (his team mate), but I suppose that is racing. Other than that, it was a cool race. The fast guys were going all out and the guys who really deserved it, like Mo-mo (Amaury Pierron) stole the show and he took the win. I was almost going to cry, it was crazy! And Loïc (Bruni) was there at the podium like 'Hi guys, I'm back!' And I had a look at the general classification and it is scary! I'm 4 points behind Aaron Gwin, in 2nd place! It is all so crazy and I am really happy!”.

Loïc Bruni, 5th Elite Men

He got injured at the first round in Croatia with a dislocated elbow and has worked really hard to get back for this race. He was careful with his elbow all week, with lots of time on the massage table so he could give his best on race day. A 5th place, only 2.587 seconds behind the winner is an incredible comeback! He said: “There were so many times when I wasn't sure I would be able to ride this weekend. Even just last week, I was stiff with a painful arm and had had no riding time so I had no idea how it was going to be. I wasn't riding to win, I wasn't riding to come 5th, I was just riding to get down in one piece. So I was really happy with my result and above all absolutely over the moon for Amaury!”

Fearon Connor, 13th Elite Men

He came 7th in Qualis and put in a solid run for Finals. He came 13th but only +3.922 back from the winner: “Yeah, I was happy with my run, just a bit further back than I wanted to be. The times are so close - I was under 4 seconds off 1st place so it just goes to show how tight everyone was - that was all the way back in 13th. I was happy with the run, just it would have been good to be one or two seconds quicker here. As for next week, I've always done well at Leogang - I got the 2nd there in 2015 and I haven't been out of the top ten for the past 3 or 4 years or something, so yeah, I'm looking forward to Leogang. It's early next week so not long to wait, everyone's driving over and I think the race will be exciting there as well”.

Laurie Greenland, 16th Elite Men

Not the result he was looking for but it is still very good and he has learnt a lot this weekend! He's now 10th overall which is great: “I was pretty nervous actually, it's really weird. I normally pride myself on being quite head-strong for racing but I was actually a bit nervous. I rode it a bit tight out the gate, braked hard in the top few turns, something I didn't do through the whole of practice and then kicked myself a bit for that. I found the flow and got into it and then started pushing on a bit too much because I knew my top was not as good as I would have liked. So I pushed on a bit too hard and started getting a bit loose and made a few mistakes. It still kind of surprised me, on a day like today I can still come down in 16th but yeah, not happy. I learnt a lot today though so that's all that matters really. As for Leogang, I just like racing. Last year, I was in the mindset of liking one track and maybe not the other. But I like racing my bike, so while I obviously prefer some tracks more than others, I am pretty keen for whatever race comes and keen for whatever it throws at me!”.

Finn Iles, 19th Elite men

This is his first-year racing Elite and he is still learning. His results are impressive and we can't wait to see him riding the rest of the season: “I felt really good all weekend leading up to my race run, well, leading up to this morning. And then this morning I felt a bit stiff on my bike and I still felt pretty fast but when my race run came around, the only thought I had in my head was that I wanted to win. I think I took the wrong approach a bit to the race - because I felt so good on my bike yesterday, I needed to keep that same mindset of just riding and having fun. But today I took it a bit too seriously almost, and I think I was just too focused on trying to win instead of just trying to ride my bike. I ended up riding really stiff and making stupid mistakes and breaking in bad spots and I ended up 6 seconds back but I still pretty happy with that and it is my first top 20. For sure, my goal this year is to win a world cup - if you are racing, you are here to win - if anyone tells you different they are probably lying or just trying to be modest. That is the ultimate goal but I think I need to become a better rider first or just better at racing against the big guys like Loïc and Amaury and Loris. It takes time. I'm really excited!'

All the teams left Scotland yesterday and are heading down to Leogang (Austria). We're already super excited for this one!

Welcome to Olargues, a very pretty French village a bit lost between big mountains. The local organisation shaped and used their best and most difficult trails for Round 3 of the Enduro World Series. The rain didn't make it easier and all the riders had to ride through a lot of tough sections with safety and speed to have a chance to perform. The show didn't disappoint and our riders managed their effort on the best way possible!

DAMIEN OTON, 5th PLACE

“Taking into account the mistakes I made, I'm happy with my result! It's very motivating for the next rounds! These mistakes cost me my place on the podium but I think I was a bit too stressed and I couldn't concentrate properly! I was almost racing at home and I wanted to do too good! But like I said, I'm happy and I got some good points for the overall so it's a great weekend all in all!”

MARK SCOTT, 7TH PLACE

“I'm happy with my consistency but I got tired at the end, on the last stage I had two big crashes but I held on to my position. I was tight with Sam Hill and I just lost some time at the end but this didn't affect the result. I got 8th in Colombia and 7th here so yes, it's going in the right direction, I'm stoked!”

KEEGAN WRIGHT, 34th

“I felt good riding my bike on all the stages and had a very fun weekend but unfortunately on Stage 6 I got a front flat tyre about 20 seconds into the track and just rode and lost about two minutes on this stage! It's a shame but it's all part of racing and it's what we love! I go home for a month now and I'm gonna work on a few things and come back stronger!”

The next round will take all the enduro riders to Austria and Slovenia for a double country destination on the 30th June and 1st July! They're all

Imagine a port-side DH race with a view of the Mediterranean most of the way down. Imagine you can finish your run and jump straight into the sea. This is what the riders enjoyed all day long in Lošinj, Croatia, for the first round of the DH World Cup 2018. The beautiful atmosphere was the nicest part though: the track was short, super rocky and any mistake could cost you big time. Read on for the different Croatian experiences our riders had this weekend!

TAHNEE, 3RD PLACE (WOMEN'S)

“I made some big mistakes, I guess because this track is so short it cost me a lot of time but it's so much better compared to what I did yesterday! I think I went 10 seconds faster and on a track like this, that is quite a lot! I had a bad day for qualis but I'm all good now, I'm happy with that! For me to come from wet steep to loose stuff to this wasn't easy, I don't ride rocks ever. I can't wait for Fort William, I'm in a good position to go into it, so yes I'm excited!”

A lot of twists and turns in the men's categories! For the bad news, Loïc Bruni crashed during practice and couldn't race for the rest of the weekend. He dislocated his elbow but he's confident to be back for the next round in June. During his final run, his team mate Finn Iles crashed as well but thankfully didn't injured himself. Good and promising results for the other Fox Head riders:

LAURIE GREENLAND, 7TH

“I'm happy to start the season like this even if I'm really not happy with my run! I made two big mistakes, but to make the top 7 that was my goal and it sets me up pretty nicely for the year! It was a good weekend last weekend (he won an international race in Slovenia) and I had a solid run this weekend so I'm trying to go on the box at Fort William for the next round!“

LORIS VERGIER, 8TH

“I'm not super happy but I made the most of it I guess. My goal was to not crash and I ended up making a few mistakes, back to back which is a shame. I tried to catch up on the bottom part of the track but it wasn't enough. I'm lucky in one way because I didn't have a mechanical or a crash and I'm happy because I've got some points for the overall”

NEKO MULALLY, 12TH

“I was pretty bummed with my quali run so I rode pretty tight. On the last practice in Friday I had a huge crash so I was very 'steaf', and I worked pretty hard to get my body to be loose again and rode average for the qualis. But I knew I had so much more speed, so during my final run I just put it together how I wanted to, nothing too crazy but clean and ended up 12th which is an awesome start to the season.”

GREG WILLIAMSON, 18TH

“It's the first race of the season but I was pretty relaxed at the top which was cool. As you can hear in the background, it's such a good race with a big crowd! I'm just happy to start my season like this, I'm going to build from here and I'm looking forward to Fort William because all my friends and family live very close so it's very special for me”.

CONNOR FEARON, 27TH

“I didn't really get on with the track too well from the start, I thought I was doing alright but obviously I just wasn't fully up to speed. I'm not too worried, we've got a big break now to try and get back on it, and Fort William is a good race for me so I'm looking forward to that.”

It's clearly obvious that even if not all the riders had their best weekend ever, they're all super hungry and motivated for the next round in Fort William.

Fox Racing and the US Open of Mountain Biking have agreed to a multi-year partnership between the two iconic brands. The newly branded Fox US Open of Mountain Biking will take place at Killington Resort August 1st-5th, 2018. Following their support of the successful 2017 US Open relaunch, Fox Racing has increased their involvement with joint marketing and production efforts around the US Open brand.

“The US Open holds a special place in the history of North American mountain bike racing. Fox was excited to support the return of this great event in 2017 and we are proud to increase our involvement to title sponsor this year. Our goal is to help position the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking as the leading gravity event in the U.S. in 2018 and beyond.” – Dave Ahumada, Global Marketing Manager, Fox MTB.

The Fox US Open of Mountain biking will feature a wide range of events including the legendary Open Class Downhill, the inaugural USO Enduro, best whip comp and the Grom Bomb and Super Grom Downhill events, giving the future of the sport a chance to show what they’ve got.

“Just like us, Fox believes in the heritage of US gravity racing, and we’re thrilled to sign this multi-year partnership with them. Their unwavering commitment to the sport and reputation in the industry is second to none. We’re looking forward to developing the next chapter of the US Open with Fox. Racers and fans can expect great things!” – Clay Harper, US Open Event Director.

Killington Resort has made huge investments over the past 4 years to become a mountain biking destination. A new downhill track, onsite campground and extensive lodging options and restaurants make it the perfect venue for an event like the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking.

Fox joins an excellent list of additional US Open partners including GT Bicycles as the presenting partner for downhill and enduro events, Red Bull as the presenting partner for the USO Best Whip Comp and Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports as presenting partner for the adaptive downhill. CLIF Bar, Flat Tire Defender and Fox Factory are also onboard with plans to activate around the 2018 Open.

Welcome to Cairns! This Australian track is unlike any other so far this year year: very, very fast, super loose, and due to the dry weather, more dusty than ever with some tough pedaling sections which made it extremely physical too!

Loïc Bruni, 1st Place!

Just over a year ago, Loïc Bruni won his first ever World Cup on this track, so he was well aware of what could be possible here. The local crowd were cheering for hometown hero Mick Hannah, who stayed on the hot seat for much of the day, and looked as if he had possibly done enough to take the title. Unfortunately for the Aussies, Loïc became 'Super Bruni' again and laid down a superlative run to take the lead by only .039 of a second. Nobody was able to go faster, and the time stood, making Loic World Champion for his second time in his short career!

He said:“It's unbelievable, I worked so hard all year and the luck was on my side today! My team-mate Miranda did it in the women's category just before, so I just followed her lead. It's incredible, the run was crazy, it was super loose so I didn't know what to expect because I knew Mick was super fast. So when I saw I was in front of him I was super happy but still super stressed out about the other guys so to hold on until the end was insane!”

Loris Vergier, 7th

Close friend Loris Vergier was the first to congratulate Loic, and was pretty stoked with his 7th place as well:“I felt really bad on the top sections the whole week and I was just hoping for a top 10. 7th is great for me! I though Mick had the title already, but when I saw Loïc beat him, it was unreal. It's always good to see him winning!”

Connor Fearon, 24th

After missing the two last World Cups because of injury, the Aussie hoped to be back to 100% in time for World Champs. He gave his best even if he wasn't completely recovered:“It was too soon to ride 100% but I'm still happy with how I rode. I've had surgery on my hand only 6 weeks ago so I couldn't expect too much. I can't wait to be back healthy to ride my bike and start preparing for next season!”

Tahnee Seagrave, 11th

Two days before finals, she was the fastest during timed training. Deciding to risk it all in pursuit of the title she pushed too hard in the unpredictable dusty conditions and crashed:“I pushed a bit too much today and crashed... This race was mental! I'm glad the other girls pushed so hard as well, we all wanted the title so much. I don't mean it's nice to see everybody going down, but the fact we were all so competitive was awesome!”.

Finn Iles, 10th Junior Mens

After winning six World Cups this year and wearing the rainbow stripes from last years World Champs win, Finn Iles was feeling the pressure on his shoulders to prove once again he can be the fastest rider of his generation. Unfortunately, a few things went wrong on race day:“I felt really good during my last practice run, but just before my race run, I realised I had forgotten my goggles and I had to borrow one of the commissaire's sunglasses. I still knew I could do a good time even under these conditions, and I knew that Matt Walker had done a very good time before my run, but I made two big mistakes and lost way too much time. I tried to go too fast and paid the price!”

It was a great year for the Fox 2017 Gravity team. The 2017 DH season is now over and 2018 will start on the 21st - 22nd of April in Lošinj, Croatia for another intense year!

There are many ingredients to Finn Iles's recipe for success, but focus is undoubtably essential. Whether Iles's is thundering towards yet another World Cup win on the UCI circuit or filming in the streets of Quebec at 5 a.m. – the call time for Red Bull Purest Line – his focus allows him to mute everything but his bike and the track when he's in the saddle. Red Bull Purest Line marks just another highlight of Iles's 2017 summer. From graduating high school to securing the World Cup overall title with two races left in the season, the future is an open book for him.

Last weekend saw the 5th round of the UCI World Cup take place in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

What was once considered a ”bikepark" track has morphed into the most unpredictable course of the year. The new course was unforgiving of the smallest mistake and FOX team riders had a tricky weekend in the office with some ups and downs! This definitely adds some flavor to the season.

FINN ILES - OVERALL JUNIOR WORLD CUP 2017 WINNER

Maybe the happiest guy in the paddock, taking another World Cup win and with it an unassailable lead in a race for the overall World Cup!

“I had a very good run and I'm satisfied with my time too! I'm stoked for the overall as well because it means I can relax for the rest of the season. The next round will be at Mont Saint Anne in Canada, my home country, and I would love to take the win in front of the Canadian crowd. It's great to go there with almost no pressure”.

TAHNEE SEAGRAVE, 5TH PLACE - ONE SLIGHT MISTAKE THAT COST A LOT

Up at all four splits, she pushed the front wheel in one of the final turns almost running off the track and losing all of her momentum. She was clearly disappointed but stayed positive:

“It's a shame to have messed up two of the five races so far! I was on a good run and I pushed a bit too hard. I finished five seconds from the winner and I know that in the past that could have been enough for a second place. It's cool that the women's level is getting higher, that's great for the sport”.

LAURIE GREENLAND, 4TH PLACE - CONSISTENT CHALLENGER

"I am really happy to of managed to get on the podium in lenzerheide, 6th to 10th place finishes have happened quite a lot now and I for sure have my eyes set on the podium! It's an amazing feeling and almost a relief at the same time... just have to do it again in a few weeks in Canada".

LOÏC BRUNI, 7TH PLACE, A DRIFT THAT COSTS HIM THE PODIUM

No crash for the frenchie but a few mistakes ruined his chances of being on the podium:

“I was pretty relaxed before my start, I had a good feeling, you know like a switch in your head which means you can do well. I started without pushing too hard but I made a small mistake in the first rock garden. I told myself to forget it and to start the race again. But I made two other mistakes in sections where it's critical to carry speed. All these mistakes cost me time and with the racing so tight right now, you can't afford to do that. Now I have the feeling I missed a good opportunity. I'm still top ten which is good, but what I really want is to be in the top three! I have to work harder!”.

LORIS, 27TH PLACE - AND A CRASH IN THE FIRST BERM

Crashing in the first corner and having to chase seconds his whole run, Loris was pretty philosophical about it:

“I have to admit that my head was on holiday already and when I did a good quali on Friday, I felt I could do well here. I was confident for finals and maybe a bit too much. After my run, I stayed 10 minutes alone to think about my crash and I realised it's not a disaster. I'm young, I didn't get injured and it didn't happen because of a mechanical. Everything worked perfectly and it just my fault. What makes me happy is that I'm still 4th overall because of my performance in qualifying, but I want more podiums!”.

CONNOR, 74TH - NO BROKEN BONES CAN STOP HIM

His crash in Vallnord was worse that he thought, he might have a broken bone in his hand and had to minimize his runs in Lenzerheide to be able to ride in the finals. Basically, he raced just to save some points for the overall:

“I looked at the points and I thought, if I can get down with a 50th or a 40thplace run, I could get some points which is always pretty good for the overall. So it's what the goal for the weekend was. I did only 5 runs during the 3 days and it was still very painful. My race run started pretty well but I crashed half way and I decided to cruise down to not take anymore risks. It's four weeks now to Mont Saint Anne so I'm going to get an X-Ray as soon as possible to assess the extent of the damage to get a better idea of what kind of shape my hand will be in for MSA”.

UP NEXT...

The DH team now has a 4 week break before heading to the penultimate round of the World Cup series in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.

A few hundred kilometres away, the Enduro riders were having one of the hardest races any of them had ever experienced in their careers! Soaked by the rain for two days, the freezing temperatures and slippery mud made the stages even more gnarly than they were already!

DAMIEN OTON, 3rd

“I'm completely knackered, it was so so hard! The weather was such a nightmare and the race was super physical. The cold didn't help either! Most of the time you're racing for one day and I have to admit it wasn't easy to be motivated for the second day! I was 5th at the end of the first day, I had a little cold and I didn't expect to be on the podium at the end of the race! But somehow, I got more power in my legs on Sunday and my track speed was better as well. My last two stages helped bump me up the standings to 3rd place. It's my second podium of the year which means at least some good luck is back on my side!”.

THÉO GALY, 5th

Riding in your home town is a privilege not many riders get to experience in their careers, which was extra motivation for Théo:

“I have to admit it was pretty hard to go and ride the second day in a freezing cold and wet weather! But it's the same for everybody and I had to push myself to find again a good speed. Unfortunately I didn't feel as good as I was the day before! The battle to be on the podium was super tight and I missed it by a few seconds. I'm a bit disappointed to finish 5th but it's my best result of the year and I'm now 9th in the overall which is pretty cool!”.

Unlucky since the beginning of the year, “Super Bruni” is relieved to be back: “I wasn't really happy when I passed the finish line because I was in 2nd and I saw it was super tight! But it was good, I stuck to the plan, kept it smooth, and made it to the bottom. It's my first podium of the season so 4th is perfect in the end, I'm happy enough tonight. I feel this is my first proper race of the year, in Lourdes I almost couldn't make it to the bottom because of the weather, Fort William I crashed and Leogang I even didn't race! I'm stoked to be here on the box and this has helped to build my confidence and I hope we are moving on to bigger and better things.”

LORIS VERGIER, 6th

After finishing second back to back in Leogang World Cup and Crankworx Les Gets a few weeks ago, Loris had every right to be a bit disappointed for missing the podium by only one place, but he's absolutely not and he explains why: “I'm happy because it's a long track and I started my finals run a bit too strong. I wanted to try to push my limits, but after the first minute I realised that I was a bit tired and I decided to stay focused, and try to stay on my bike! In the end, I'm 6th and only 3 seconds from the podium which is very good. I got good points for the overall, I'm now 4th which gives me a bit more confidence! I'm so happy for Loïc who's riding almost at his best again, it's cool to see him back on the podium!"

CONNOR FEARON, 28th

His run was spectacular but he crashed very close to the bottom: “I was so tired at the end and I had a stupid crash. I just couldn't hold on anymore but I'm not too disappointed because what you have to do to do well here is to leave it or on the track. The thing is, you have to go so fast here and obviously more people than usual crashed here, luckily everyone is mostly ok. Either way, I'm stoked and looking forward to Lenzerheide.”

FINN ILES, 1st IN JUNIOR CATEGORY

It's now the 3rd victory for the Canadian rider for this year. He won the race by a full 5 seconds and his time would have placed him 7th in the Elite category! “I felt that everything sort of worked on my run, I had like a few parts where I was trying to push too hard and got a bit sketchy but I think I was carrying good speed everywhere and I rode my bike well, so I'm happy! I was pretty calm this weekend even though I was a bit nervous this morning. Because this is so similar to some of the stuff I ride at home, I'm prtty experienced on steep stuff.”

TAHNEE SEAGRAVE, 2nd IN WOMEN CATEGORY

After taking her first ever win at the previous round in Leogang, Tahnee was hoping for big things again in Andorra: “Myriam Nicole (the winner of the day) has always been good here and I've never get a good result here, and it's such a contrast from here to Leogang I'm just really happy because I had a point to prove after everyone saying that the track in Leogang was too easy.

I know that my style of riding is not very aggressive even if people think it is, I love riding berms with my mates so I think Lenzerheide will suit me better”.

Fox Freestyle team rider Brett Rheeder had another sterling performance in the Redbull Joyride Slopestyle competition at last weekend's Crankworx stop in Innsbruck, Austria.
Following up on his amazing victory the week before in Les Gets, Brett faced his stiffest competition of the season so far from the best riders in the world, and he needed an amazing run to solidify the second spot on the podium.
As usual, his run featured an incredible array of tricks including 720 bar spins, a double bar 360 off the massive step-down and he gave it all he had on his final trick - a flip double whip which pushed his total score to an amazing 95.66. A final score which easily sealed his silver position on the podium.
Coming off an injury in 2016 his season got off to a late start – not what he had been hoping and training for all winter. But he is hitting his stride at the perfect moment and will be hard to beat heading into the final stop of the Crankworx series in August at beautiful Whistler, British Columbia.CW

The whole MTB industry spent the week in Les Gets for the 2nd stop of the Crankworx World Tour 2017. Luckily, this year the sun was beating down on Les Gets the entire week and all our riders enjoyed the opportunity to ride and compete in the awesome conditions!

BRETT RHEEDER WON THE SLOPESTYLE

Brett laid down a solid first run, which was good enough to take the lead. Nobody managed to best his score with their second runs, so Brett got to cruise down for a victory lap! After wining Rotorua (2015), Les 2 Alpes (2015) and Whistler (2016), the Canadian won yet another Slopestye here in France and was pretty damn stoked: “I just came back after an injury so I feel really relieved to win today. It has been hard work to get back! We had some good practice sessions with all the guys, but it was tough here today with the wind. For sure before my first run I was a bit nervous, I didn't want to screw up, and then sitting up top watching all the guys doing their second runs was hard!"

2ND PLACE FOR LORIS VERGIER AT THE CRANKWORX DOWNHILL

“It is so good to be on a podium again! To be honest, I didn't expect it because my wrist was a bit painful before the start! Because of that, I didn't start my run full gas, and tried to finish a bit faster and it went well for me, I'm proud! Now I take some days off to go surfing with my girlfriend and it will be sweet!" - Loris Vergier

FINN ILES WON IN JUNIOR

After his victory in Leogang World Cup last week, Finn Iles continues to dominate the Junior Category: “I felt I rode well, smooth and consistent so I'm happy with my run and my time. Last year I felt very good on this track, and the whole of this week I was having a lot of fun so I wasn't super focused on the race until day race. I think it's good to do a race like that every now and again, because this week was a bit like a holiday and I just rode my bike as fast as could and it worked well!”

JOSH BRYCELAND 3RD IN THE AIR DH

Air DH in Les Gets is a bit different to A-Line in Whistler, with roots, jumps and steep techy sections and ex World Cup Champion Josh Bryceland demonstrated he still has the speed to compete! Josh ended up in 3rd place and showed that when you have talent running through your veins, you don't have to take racing super seriously to get on the box every now and again! It was so rad to see the Rat back on a podium!

After a hard weekend in Fort William (she crashed in both Qualis and Finals), Tahnee fought back in Leogang in the best way possible! Second in Saturday's quali, she did everything right on Sunday to take her very first win in the Elite Women Category: “I'm super happy, I'm more relieved than anything, I feel I was working so hard for so long. Obviously it's a bummer that Rachel (Atherton) wasn't here, it would have been nice to compare to her time. It was so stressful watching Tracey (Hannah, 2nd) coming down, I knew she was gonna pull back time at the end and it was so close! But it's great to see the racing is so tight!”

LORIS VERGIER BACK ON THE PODIUM

Loris finally put in a clean race run and landed on the podium! Second here last year, and second again this year, he has an impressive record on the Austrian track! “Last year I was completely happy with my 2nd place because it was a surprise but I have to be honest, I thought that today could be the day. In the end I don't have any regrets, I did everything I could! It's very good for my confidence too, because I have been qualifying well but then having troubles in finals this season. I'm happy, it was a good day in the office!”

FINN ILES WON THE JUNIOR CATEGORY!

Finn kicked off the day in some style by taking the win and solidifying his leadership of the overall : "I was a bit frustrated last weekend (he finished 2nd in Fort William, Scotland) and yesterday (2nd place in qualis), so I'm happy with my result and with my time too. It's was a good weekend! There is a good battle going with the other guys and I think it will be very interesting between us for the rest of the season."

KAOS SEAGRAVE 3RD IN QUALIS, 4TH IN FINALS

Third in qualis, Kaos Seagrave finished the final in 4th: “My run was good, it was very dry up there, it was so, so fast! I just made a mistake before the motorway section but it's all good. The track was mint, I loved it the whole weekend. And Finn absolutely smashed it, his time was very good.”

10TH PLACE FOR CONNOR FEARON

Podiuming on the previous two visits to Leogang, Connor was clear he wanted to do the same again this year. He finished 10th but was still happy to have a solid result: “It's still a good place, I couldn't have gone any faster. The times were super tight! The guys at the top went so fast! I'm happy to be in the top 10 and I'm already looking forward to the other races."

Unfortunately we have to finish with some bad news. Loïc Bruni crashed during Saturday's practice and had to go to hospital to deal with an extremely severe inflammation. Loic posted on his social media: “I thought it was a random punch in the leg. After the qualis I could not walk any more, I had ruptured vein on the inside that was leaking blood into my leg”.

Loic will be spending a few more days in Leogang to wait for the swelling to go down, and hopefull he'll be back soon. All the best to you champion!

DAMIEN OTON, BACK ON THE PODIUM
Nine intense stages over two long days of racing, the third round of the Enduro World Series in Madeira was extremely tough!

Lots of riders suffered from mechanicals and crashes, including Fox Racing guys, Damien Oton, Théo Galy, Mark Scott and Iago Garay. Luckily they all made it through unscathed, read this little bit of insight into how their races went! Congrats guys, we're proud of you all!

"You always have loads of ups and downs during a race like that! This morning, after a long day yesterday, I didn’t feel good but I realized it was the same for everybody! These kind of races are very difficult because you have to manage your equipment, and it was very very slippery and physical. I couldn’t be more happy to finish on the podium! After a bad start of the season, it’s good to be back!" - Damien Oton

"I’m super happy I maintained my position the whole weekend! I was 6th after day one, then this morning I said to myself I have to try to get closer to the top 5, but I didn’t have the power I expected. I gave everything I could, pushing as hard as possible and despite a few crashes I ended up in 7th position. I’m also really stoked with my overall position!" -Théo Galy (7th place)

"The first day was good for me, really strong first couple of stages with a few small crashes later on, then day 2 started really well again, I made it to the top 5. Unfortunately I got a flat tyre near the end of stage 7. I rode it out to the bottom of the stage and managed to fix it. I stuck a bit of gel wrapper in the tyre and managed to fix it with a tube and just had to nurse it home after that… It was a massive hole, so I didn’t want to blow it out and lose all of my points. I ended up 13th in the end which is not so bad with the flat tyre so I’m pretty happy" - Mark Scott (13th place)

"Yesterday was very bad, I don’t know why but I was going very slow, I had a crash and a mechanical and I lost a lot of time there, like 40 seconds at least. But today I really liked the stages and I really wanted to make up some time. I had a really good day, a lot of fun, some good results especially the 15th on stage 7 which was very technical and that makes me think I’ve still got that DH background! I’m pretty happy, finished 43rd, it’s not a great result but after yesterday I’m pretty happy with it because I made up a lot of time" - Iago Garay (43rd place)

The 2017 Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup season has arrived! This weekend the most exciting style of bicycle racing action you will ever see gets underway from beautiful Lourdes, France at the foothills of the majestic Pyrenees Mountain range.

What to expect

The track at Lourdes is known for brutal rock sections, tricky woods sections with some big jumps and the legendary steep wall section at the top. This year may see the added excitement of a wet and slippery course as it snowed on the trails earlier today. The latest reports show skies clearing and the track drying so if the weather holds it should be a fast and rough race – either way it should be an amazing start to the 2017 season…one you surely won’t want to miss!

The Fox Team

This year the Fox Downhill MTB team is loaded with an amazing mix of young talent including 2015 World Champ Loic Bruni; Long time Fox team riders Connor Fearon and Tahnee Seagrave and young guns Loris Vergier, Magnus Manson, Josh Button and Laurie Greenland. The Junior team is led by current Junior World Champion Finn Iles and includes up and coming riders Anthony Poulson, Joe Parfitt, Kaos Seagrave and the always fast Tegan Molloy!

Where to watch

The racing begins at 4:00 am Pacific Daylight Time this Sunday.

Season Schedule

Lourdes is the first of 7 stops leading in to the World championships in Cairns, Australia in September. We’ll keep you posted on all the happenings throughout the season.

FINN ILES TOOK THE WIN AND KAOS SEAGRAVE FINISHED 2ND IN JUNIOR MEN CATEGORY.

"I knew I could go faster for my final run because I lost a few seconds during the qualis at the bottom of the track (he was 3rd). Because of that, I started a little too fast and I almost crashed in the first corner! That scared me a bit, so I tried to be more focused and do a solid run. I’m very happy to take my first win in the rainbow jersey!" Explained Finn.

Kaos has plenty of reason to be happy as well, climbing up onto the box for the first time! Already second during the qualis, he maintained his position and now can’t wait to try and go one better at the next few rounds.

TAHNEE SEAGRAVE WAS FASTEST IN THE QUALIS AND ENDED UP 3RD IN THE ELITE WOMEN FINALS

"For sure, I’m disappointed because I’ve never backed up a first place Quali result in a Final. In all honesty, I don’t really like starting in last position and I know I have to work on that. My run was good but maybe I’m still not ready to beat Rachel Atherton. I used to watch her when I was a kid and I’m still so impressed to see her ride.” - Tahnee Seagrave

CONNOR FEARON, 5TH PLACE IN ELITE MEN

"Yeah 5th is pretty good for the beginning of the season! I'm a bit gutted that the last 11 guys didn't get to show what they were capable of because of the insane weather. It was way too wet to do any more than just make it down! Now that I’m 5th in the overall, my goal is to stay there for the rest of the season, and hopefully move up even higher during the next couple of races!” - Connor Fearon

LORIS VERGIER AND LOÏC BRUNI WENT TO HELL AND BACK!

After the qualis, Loris was fastest with Loïc just behind in second. But towards the end of race day, a storm came in and ruined the chances of the top 15 qualifiers. Loïc and Loris had absolutely no chance to compete with the best times of the day.

“Honestly, before my run, my only goal was to stay on my bike. I tried to ride properly but it was way too insane! Either way it was fun, I’m in one piece and I have to be happy about that” said Loris.

“I tried to do a fast run to save some points for the overall but I quickly figured out that that was impossible! The track was way too dangerous and slippery. To be honest, I was scared, it was pretty gnarly” added Loïc.

The next round takes place in Fort William, Scotland, on the 4th of June!

Fox Racing is proud to announce the 2017 Fox MTB Global Downhill Race Team. The new season brings a fresh mix of long time Fox riders ready to take the next step on the global stage combined with exciting new additions who bring both youth and experience to the team. The Fox DH team brings together riders from around the globe to compete in the 7 stops of the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup series and the World Championships on the legendary track at Cairns, Australia.

“For 2017 our mix of riders is one of the most competitive teams we have ever fielded. Mike Redding (Global sports marketing manager) and Vincent Saccomani (Fox Europe sports marketing manager) have done an amazing job of putting together a group of athletes who are not only top level riders, but are also great ambassadors for the brand and for the sport of Mountain Biking. At an average age of 23 years old, we look forward to supporting these athletes and their teams now and in the future.” – Dave Ahumada, Global Marketing Manager – FOX MTB.

Fox Racing is proud to announce the 2017 Fox MTB Global Downhill Race Team. The new season brings a fresh mix of long time Fox riders ready to take the next step on the global stage combined with exciting new additions who bring both youth and experience to the team. The Fox DH team brings together riders from around the globe to compete in the 7 stops of the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup series and the World Championships on the legendary track at Cairns, Australia.

“For 2017 our mix of riders is one of the most competitive teams we have ever fielded. Mike Redding (Global sports marketing manager) and Vincent Saccomani (Fox Europe sports marketing manager) have done an amazing job of putting together a group of athletes who are not only top level riders, but are also great ambassadors for the brand and for the sport of Mountain Biking. At an average age of 23 years old, we look forward to supporting these athletes and their teams now and in the future.”- Dave Ahumada, Global Marketing Manager – FOX MTB

Beginning this weekend (April 29-30) in Lourdes, France the team will be running the Pro Level Fox DH Race Kit including the proven Rampage Pro Carbon helmet; Flexair jersey, pant and glove and the all new Launch Pro D30 guards as they compete throughout the grueling 7 stop series.

Fox changed things up this year at The Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA. In the past, we set up in the tech expo row, but decided going with that grass roots feel sounded like it would be a good time. We drove the rig up and set up on the campgrounds above the raceway. Our main initiative was to open up our home to surrounding campers and host a viewing of our latest film, “Ride Your F#%king Bike!” We set up the BBQ, invited campers up to our site, chilled, grilled and watching the movie under the stars. We were stoked on the turnout of around 100 campers in attendance. Due to the World Cup and Fest Series going on the same weekend, we didn’t have as many athletes on site, but it was great having Mark Scott, Iago Garay, Bas Vansteenbergen, Kirt Voreis and Jackson Goldstone in attendance!

Mark Scott Santa Cruz Bike’s finished 5th in the Pro men enduro, and qualified for dual and was eliminated in the early rounds.

Iago Garay qualified for Dual Slalom and was knocked out mid rounds.

Kirt Voreis raced the downhill and pretty much just had fun doing whips at the top for the fans.

“Ride Your F#%king Bike – The Movie. Powered by Chainsaw.” Featuring Fox athletes Josh Bryceland, Josh Lewis, Kirt Voreis and other Fox teammates, the movie documents three weeks on the road with a wild crew up for anything. Filming kicked off at Fox Headquarters in Irvine, Calif., and continued north through Oregon and Washington before crossing the Canadian border and reaching Vancouver Island. The movie is dedicated to Stevie Smith, aka Chainsaw, a World Cup champion gravity athlete who unexpectedly passed away in May 2016.